Steve Sullivan joins me for a lively conversation about podcasting, tutor videos, and digital A&P teaching. We explore how he humanizes online learning, why students crave multiple approaches, and what he’s learned after 23 years of teaching. From LMS-independent course design to global podcast reach, Steve shares practical strategies and inspiring stories that can help any A&P instructor evolve their teaching.
0:00:00 | Introduction
0:00:49 | This Episode
0:02:28 | Becoming Steve Sullivan
0:06:41 | Your Teaching Voice*
0:07:30 | Why Start a Podcast?
0:14:03 | Farewell to TAPP ed*
0:15:45 | Growing a Podcast & Growing Through It
0:19:56 | Authors Alert *
0:21:05 | Digital Teaching That Actually Helps
0:30:59 | When Our Tools Disappear*
0:32:48 | A&P Tools That Fit Any Textbook
0:48:36 | Collaboration Audit*
0:49:14 | What 23 Years of A&P Reveals
1:01:10 | Innovation Check *
1:01:44 | Staying Connected
* Breaks
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“Technology will never replace great teachers, but technology in the hands of great teachers can be transformational." (George Couros)
This Episode
1.5 minutes
Kevin introduces Steve Sullivan, our special guest for this episode.
Becoming Steve Sullivan
4 minutes
Steve introduces how he became an A&P instructor, beginning with chiropractic training, tutoring peers, and eventually stepping into the classroom. His path reflects that mix many of us recognize—clinical experience, a spark for teaching, and an opportunity that suddenly opens. He shares what drew him in, what kept him hooked, and why A&P has become the center of his professional life.
Your Teaching Voice *
1 minute
A brief moment to reflect on the tone and personality we bring into our teaching—whether in class or in audio—and how a small shift in our teaching voice can make learning feel warmer and more inviting.
Why Start a Podcast?
6.5 minutes
Steve explains how his long-standing love of podcasts led him to create Anatomy & Physiology: Bit by Bit. Starting with simple tools meant for his own students, the show soon reached thousands around the world. Steve talks about early inspirations, favorite podcasts, and why audio gives students a flexible, motivating way to tackle hard content while living their daily lives.
Farewell to TAPP ed *
1.5 minutes
A short update announcing the official wrap-up of the TAPP ed micro-credentials, why the program is ending, and how listeners can still access their badges through 2025.
Growing a Podcast & Growing Through It
4 minutes
Here Steve talks about the surprising reach of his show, the long break he took, and how student feedback pulled him back. We explore the challenges of maintaining a creative project during COVID and how stepping away can renew energy. His reflections highlight the emotional side of teaching—motivation, burnout, renewal—and the growing global audience for A&P learning.
Authors Alert *
1 minute
A quick notification for authors about the Anthropic court settlement and how to check whether their textbooks, lab manuals, or scholarly works were used in AI training without permission.
Digital Teaching That Actually Helps
10 minutes
Steve describes the evolution of his digital teaching from narrated PowerPoints to polished animated tutor videos. He explains why multiple modalities matter, how students benefit from short targeted videos, and what pushed him to build his own website to escape constant LMS migrations. His story offers practical strategies we can all adopt to give students better access and ourselves more control.
When Our Tools Disappear *
2 minutes
A reminder that tech tools come and go — including the TAPP app — reinforcing the importance of flexibility and resilience in our teaching toolkits.
A&P Tools That Fit Any Textbook
16 minutes
We talk about the A&P Digital Suite and how it became a book-agnostic set of tools. Steve explains why instructors wanted digital resources that weren’t tied to a single textbook and how the suite supports OER courses as well. We discuss lab simulations, adaptive questions, and accuracy review—a useful look at how digital tools grow into teaching ecosystems far beyond one classroom.
Collaboration Audit *
0.5 minute
A moment to think about reaching outside our usual circles for collaboration, and a gentle prompt to reconnect with another A&P educator to share ideas.
What 23 Years of A&P Reveals
12 minutes
Steve reflects on what he wishes he had known earlier: the power of giving students resources upfront, the challenge of teaching combined A&P without ever taking it, and how much teaching evolves. We explore shifts in online A&P, simulation labs, resistance to change, and the importance of communities like HAPS. It’s a thoughtful end to a wide-ranging conversation that celebrates growth and experimentation.
Innovation Check *
0.5 minute
An invitation to reflect on one teaching idea you’ve been curious about but haven’t yet tried—and what might happen if you simply gave it a test-drive.
* Breaks
Links
Anatomy & Physiology: Bit by Bit (podcast)
Student-facing A&P podcast by Steve Sullivan
AandP.info/850ce0
McGraw Hill Connect – A&P Digital Suite
Digital courseware including tutor videos and lab simulations
AandP.info/c76750
HAPS – Human Anatomy & Physiology Society
Professional community for A&P faculty
theAPprofessor.org/haps
Northeast College of Health Sciences
Online MS program in Human Anatomy & Physiology Instruction (HAPI)
theAPprofessor.org/hapi
TAPP ed (retired) and badge access
What we built, what we learned, and how to access badges
theAPprofessor.org/education
TAPP Podcast no-cost subscription options
Ways to listen now that the standalone app is retired
theAPprofessor.org/podcast-subscribe
TAA Anthropic Settlement Information
Guidance for authors regarding potential compensation
www.taaonline.net/anthropic-settlement
Revisionist History
Malcolm Gladwell's podcast recommended by Steve Sullivan
AandP.info/9b3291
★ SomeTAPP episodes and related resources related to this episode's topics
The Surprising Power of Digital Textbooks | TAPP 76
Give Your Course a Half Flip With a Full Twist | Episode 6
Textbooks to Slides: IP Attorney Brenda Ulrich on Legal Image Use in Anatomy & Physiology | TAPP 150
Our Teaching Persona in Anatomy & Physiology Class | TAPP 137
★ List of TAPP podcasts (sortable list with titles, links to episode pages, and topics)
theAPprofessor.org/podcast-list.html
★ TAPP Jukebox (a fun way to browse and play TAPP episodes)
theAPprofessor.org/podcast-jukebox.html
People
Production: Aileen Park (announcer), Andrés Rodriguez (theme composer, recording artist), Kevin Patton (writer, editor, choreographer, producer, host).
Not People
Robotic (AI) audio leveling/processing by Auphonic.com, initial draft transcript by Rev.com, and the content, organization, spelling, grammar, style, etc., of this episode and notes are assisted by various bots, such as ChatGPT, Grammarly, and QuillBot.
If the hyperlinks here are not active, go to TAPPradio.org to find the episode page.
★ More details at the episode page: theAPprofessor.org/podcast-episode-156.html
★ Transcript available in the transcript box: theAPprofessor.org/podcast-episode-156.html
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Tools & Resources
★ TAPP Science & Education Updates: theAPprofessor.org/updates
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